This is the final candidate for the new New Zealand flag. Finally

The final candidate set to go-flag-flag with the current New Zealand has been announced. Finally.

And unfortunately this one missed out on a shot at the big time...

The early results of a postal ballot this weekend suggested it was a close race between two extremely similar flags.

This flag:

And this flag:

The latter flag has been declared the overall winner and will now go up against the original New Zealand flag in a flag referendum to be held in March 2016.

The vote will finally confirm whether or not New Zealand's flag will be replaced by this new flag.

More: We don't think New Zealanders are taking redesigning their national flag entirely seriously